Credit: Petre Thomas-Imagn Images
CeeDee Lamb made it known last week that new Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike McCarthy likes to throw the ball deep. ESPN’s Field Yates has someone that could help with that approach.
In the second round of Yates’ latest 2026 NFL Draft mock-up Mike McCarthy’s team plucked Mississippi State receiver Brenen Thompson in the second round (No. 53 overall).
“One of my favorite moves of the offseason was Pittsburgh trading for wide receiver Michael Pittman Jr., but the team must continue to address that position,” Yates wrote Tuesday. “Thompson ran the fastest 40-yard dash at the combine (4.26 seconds) and led the SEC in receiving yards this past season (1,054). He can consistently get separation downfield, which will translate well to the next level.”
Thompson was the seventh wideout taken off the board, after Ohio State’s Carnell Tate (No. 6 overall, Cleveland), Arizona State’s Jordyn Tyson (No. 9, Kansas City), USC’s Makai Lemon (No. 16, New York Jets), Indiana’s Omar Cooper Jr. (No. 23, Philadelphia), Texas A&M’s KC Concepcion (No. 30, Miami) and Washington’s Denzel Boston (No. 31, New England).
Only Rondel Menendez (4.24 seconds), Chris Johnson (4.24), Kalon Barnes (4.23), John Ross (4.22) and Xavier Worthy (4.21) have run faster 40-yard dashes than Thompson in the history of the NFL Scouting Combine.
“Thompson is a slightly built, vertical threat with rocket boosters in his shoes,” NFL Draft analyst Lance Zierlein wrote in a scouting report. “With a career average of 39.8 yards per touchdown catch, there is no denying where his value lives. His acceleration phase is long-lasting, creating easy wins over the top and requiring safety involvement in man coverage.”
The Steelers took Penn State guard Olaivavega Ioane with their first-round pick at No. 21 in the same forecast.
Mentioned In This Article: 2026 NFL Draft Brenen Thompson Pittsburgh Steelers Steelers